Congress has passed a bill to reopen the federal government after a 43-day shutdown, but concerns remain about rising healthcare costs for Americans. The American Lung Association is urging lawmakers to extend enhanced healthcare tax credits, warning that failure to do so could result in millions losing coverage and higher costs for many more.
Harold Wimmer, President and CEO of the American Lung Association, issued a statement emphasizing the importance of both funding the government and extending these tax credits. "The American Lung Association has long been calling on Congress to take two urgent actions: fund the federal government and extend the enhanced healthcare tax credits. Government shutdowns are harmful to people’s health, resulting in halted medical research, delayed disease tracking and chronic disease prevention efforts, and weakened protections for clean air – all of which put the health of families at risk. It’s good news that staff will soon return to running critical programs at National Institutes of Health, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other agencies that improve and protect lung health.
“But now, Congress is past due on extending the enhanced healthcare tax credits. Families can’t wait while Congress delays. These enhanced tax credits help millions of individuals in the United States access quality, affordable health coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace. Without an extension, more than four million people will lose their healthcare coverage and costs will dramatically increase for millions more. More than 24 million people now receive their healthcare coverage through the ACA Marketplace, a record high.
“Healthcare open enrollment began on November 1; however, there is still time for Congress to extend these critical tax credits. We urge Congress pass an extension of enhanced healthcare tax credits without delay, to protect the health of everyone in the U.S."
The American Lung Association offers resources at Lung.org/openenrollment to assist those with lung disease in choosing appropriate health plans. Enrollment information is available at Healthcare.gov.
